You can call us on 07941 492 892 or0117 2440008

News

Buying a house in the West Country?

5 Aug 2014

Hoping to buy in the South West? Now is the time to start looking.

What shall it be? A house with a private quay for the children to launch their boat in the mornings? Or one where you can saunter down to the beach and watch the sunset? Or a proper old manor house with a pantry and walled garden? The magic of the West Country is more powerful than ever, but anyone dreaming of a home there had better make an early start this year.

Those looking to reassess their priorities and enrich their family lives, lured by the sound of the surf and potted shrimps for tea, may search but not find. The number of top-end houses that can live up to the dream is already much reduced.

“In September,” says Lucian Cook of Savills’ research department, “there were 266 houses at £1m and above for sale in the South-West. By December this had fallen to 117, a drop of 56 per cent.”

Another reason for buyers to get hunting early is that the lack of choice is forcing prices up. “Our prime property index shows that prices in the South-West rose by 3.8 per cent in the past six months,” says Cook. “All the growth has been recent, but it hides a real disparity between what is happening to the best and to the merely average sort of house.” As buyers with money seek star quality, fights break out over houses in coastal, creek and moorland hotspots.

But is it wise to sink money into property in the South-West? Savills’ figures on growth over the past decade show that the 20 top performing locations are all in the toe of the country, proving us to be a nation increasingly in love with its cliffs and coves, old fishing villages and regenerating seaside towns.

How Can A Property Finder Service Help?

Most people however struggle to find the time to house hunt when the property is miles away from their home. By the time they have arranged a free weekend, their dream property has sold. Property Finders or Property Search Agents are able to view a property at a moments notice and often have access to off market properties. A Property Finder will hold your hand through the whole process, then do the ‘dirty’ work on your behalf. They will go through all the initial steps such as contacting estate agents, searching on-line, researching the local area, carry out first viewings etc, leaving you to view the very best properties on the list which will normally be two or three depending on your requirements. This will usually take half a day or so at the very most, thus saving you wasted journeys and precious weekends. The Property Finder will then negotiate price and terms on your behalf and connect you to other professionals who can help with financing, conveyancing, surveys, decoration or building work.